A hospital consultant’s offer to give up about €36,000 of his annual pay to employ a midwife in one of the country’s busiest maternity units demonstrated the desperate state of hospital staffing, it was claimed tonight.

HOSPITAL campaign groups around the country have reacted with concern to the health authorities’ decision to confine cancer services to just eight centres.

A mother-of-three who was the victim of a botched breast cancer test today welcomed the team of experts that will investigate the circumstances surrounding her case.

A woman who was mistakenly given the all-clear after a botched breast cancer biopsy is to meet with outgoing Minister for Health Mary Harney, it emerged tonight.